CeCe's eyes fluttered open as sunlight poured through the curtains. She blinked groggily her head pounding lightly from the events of last night. A dramatic sigh escaped her lips as she buried herself deeper into her soft sheets.

  "What a failure."

  The regret isn't over what she did, it's over what she didn't do. She could've leaned in closer, whispered something scandalous or maybe trailed her fingers down his tie. But no, tipsy CeCe was all bark and no bite.

  "What kind of femme fatale can't even ensnare a man when tipsy?"

  She'd let alcohol steal away her finesse when she should've been a sultry goddess of temptation.

  Some people got drunk and achieved enlightenment with visions of wisdom along life-altering epiphanies. CeCe? She failed her drunk ancestors. Instead of ascending to the godhood of seduction, she barely made it to mortal embarrassment! She wilted in self-pity before rebounding. The path to godhood was long! This was but a minor setback on her journey to true vixeness!

  "Next time, I'll unleash my full power! This merely was a tribulation to my path to immortality!''

  She will definitely reach her peak form the next time she faced Philip!

  Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar glow of her vanity mirror. She shot out of bed and inspected her reflection while muttering to herself about how beauty is eternal.

  Despite the mortification of last night, she still clearly remembered doing her skincare routine. Her face was radiant, skin hydrated and practically luminous. Vanity prevailed even in her worst moments, she smiled, giving herself a thumbs up.

  "Still got it." She murmured, winking at herself.

  A lesser woman would be a wreck but she remained a picture of grace. She might have failed the art of seduction but her dedication to beauty was unyielding!

  The sudden blaring of her phone made her jump. She grabbed it, heart leaping, only for the name "Ms. M" to flash on the screen. She answered with a practiced sweetness.

  "CeCe, don't forget today's live broadcast on set." Ms. M reminded, curt but professional. "The exposure is good for you and the movie. The production team expects you early."

  "Yes, yes, I remember." CeCe chirped, covering the slight panic in her voice.

  Shoot, she really did forget!

  Thankfully, Ms. M had called otherwise, CeCe would've been dead meat.

  The call ended, and CeCe heaved a sigh of relief. Then she noticed the coat draped over her chair. It was Philip's luxurious, tailored coat, smelling faintly of cedar and something subtly masculine.

  The memories flooded back. She smirked.

  She wrapped it around her shoulders, posing in the mirror with a wicked glint in her eyes. The coat slid down just enough to reveal a bare shoulder, hinting at something scandalous. She snapped a picture and typed out a message before she could second-guess herself.

  CeCe: Good morning! Looks like I ended up with something of yours. ?? Should I give it back or keep it as a trophy?

  CeCe hit send, smug satisfaction settling over her. Then because she was CeCe Concepcion, she added one more line:

  CeCe: I'll return it in person... Try saying no this time, Philip. ??

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  ***

  The live broadcast began with CeCe lounging elegantly on a plush couch, effortlessly styled with a no-makeup makeup look. She looked radiant with glowing skin, subtly defined eyes and lips tinted with a natural flush. Her hair was loosely swept over her shoulder, adding a touch of casual glamour. She gave the camera a confident, approachable smile.

  "Good morning, my little beauties!" She cooed. "I'm here on set, ready to spill some tea!"

  The chat exploded with eager comments:

  User123: OMG you're so pretty!!! ??

  SinnerFromBirth: Is she even real??

  NosyNancy: Girl, who's your surgeon? Spill!

  CeCe cackled. "What surgeon? I came out of the womb like this! Blessed by the gods! Sorry my dears, but this beauty can't be bought! Not a knife, needle or miracle cream. Just pure, unfiltered goddess energy!" She tapped her nose with a playful smirk.

  The comments flew by even faster:

  GreenTeaSipper: Are the rumors true? Did you and Bea fight on the set of Under the Night Sky? Spill!!

  CeCe's eyes widened, a gasp slipping out as she pressed a hand to her chest. "Bea is a brilliant actress and I'm honored to work with her! Whatever drama happened on set stayed on set. But if you mean Under the Night Sky, the director called me 'painfully convincing' as the mistress, so maybe Bea was just too into character!" She winked.

  DramaFiend: You're too good at playing a mistress! Are you one in real life? ??

  CeCe fake gasped, clutching her pearls. "Oh no, darling! I'm just committed to my craft! If I ever played the part off-screen, half the city would be writing fanfics about it by now!"

  GymBro69: Drop your playlist, Queen! We need the vibes!

  CeCe's eyes lit up. "Oh, you want the tea on my playlists? You’ll have to be specific, darling! Are you asking for my 'Main Character Energy,' 'Sad Girl But Make It Aesthetic' or maybe my favoriteb'Manifesting a Rich Husband'? Take your pick!"

  The chat exploded:

  DramaFiend: Main Character Energy! ?

  NosyNancy: Sad Girl, definitely!

  Simp4CeCe: Manifesting A Rich Husband! ????

  SurgeonOut: I need the gym playlist, Queen!

  CeCe sirked, waving at her phone. "Alright, alright, let’s do this."

  "For my 'Main Character Energy' playlist, it’s all about feeling iconic. We’ve got Madonna’s Material Girl, Gwen Stefani’s Rich Girl, Demi Lovato’s Confident, Doja Cat’s Boss Bitch, Keri Hilson’s Pretty Girl Rock and of course, Queen Bey’s Diva. Perfect for strutting around and pretending the world revolves around you because let’s be real, it kinda does."

  She glanced at the chat, eyes gleaming. "If you’re feeling the blues, my 'Sad Girl But Make It Aesthetic' playlist is the vibe Olivia Rodrigo’s Jealousy, Jealousy, Halsey’s You Should Be Sad, Lorde’s Liability, Lady Gaga’s Million Reasons and Clairo’s Bags. You know, for when you want to cry cute."

  The comments flooded in, begging for more. CeCe grinned.

  "But if you’re out to catch a rich husband— ironically or not— you can’t go wrong with my 'Manifesting A Rich Husband' playlist: WAP, Money by Cardi B, Pour It Up by Rihanna, 7 Rings by Ariana Grande and even a touch of Marilyn Monroe with I Wanna Be Loved By You. A little delulu never hurt anyone!"

  She paused dramatically. "And for the gym crowd, my 'Gym But Make It Hot' playlist is all about working out but looking cute doing it. Britney’s Toxic and Womanizer, Dua Lipa’s Don’t Start Now, Ariana Grande’s Side to Side, Lady Gaga’s LoveGame and Fergie’s Fergalicious. Hot girl sweat only."

  CeCe laughed as the chat erupted with excitement and emojis. "There you go, my little beauties! Now go forth and thrive!"

  SisAFrog: Hahahaha you go gurl!!! ??

  Simp4CeCe: I did NOT expect this from you! ??

  NosyNancy: Queen is wilding! ??

  DaddyIssues777: No chill and I'm here for it!

  CeCe laughed as she skimmed through the comments. "I told you I have no chill!"

  PlasticBanana: But really, if you got work done, do tell! ??

  CeCe blew a kiss to the camera. "Just born to slay, my loves!"

  The viewer count spiked suddenly. A notification popped up: Philip Garcia is watching.

  CeCe's smirk wavered, just for a fraction of a second, before she casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. Then, her phone vibrated nearby. A quick glance revealed another IG notification.

  Philip Garcia followed you back.

  Her heart skipped a beat and the corner of her lips curled into a sly smile. Playing it cool, she arched a brow at the camera.

  "Speaking of interesting nights... let's just say I had a ride home worthy of a fairytale. You know, the kind where the princess doesn't remember how she got to bed."

  The chat exploded with wide-eyed emojis and frantic comments:

  NosyNancy: Omg, spill!

  DramaFiend: Girl, WHAT?!

  CeCe leaned back with a slow, mischievous grin. "Let's just say some secrets are worth keeping... for now. You never know when a plot twist might come your way. So...."

  She leaned closer to the camera, eyes glimmering with excitement. "Oh, and before I forget, keep an eye out for The Last Clue! We’re still filming but I can already say it’s a wild ride with mystery, danger and just the right touch of drama. I had an absolute blast bringing Detective Vera Cruz to life and trust me, you won't want to miss it! Make sure to follow the official pages for sneak peeks, behind-the-scenes chaos and maybe a clue or two. Stay tuned, my beauties!"